TROY faculty, students aid Barbour County Junior High with help of Lowe's grant

Posted: Tuesday, 01 April 2014

TROY - Troy University Kinesiology and Health Promotion faculty and students are helping to create two locker rooms for the physical education program at Barbour County Junior High School thanks to a Lowe's Toolbox for Education Grant.

The project grew out of Dr. Gayle Bush's Programs in Health and Physical Education course. Dr. Bush and graduate student Deborah Countryman served as co-directors of the project, along with Merri Burks, a TROY alumna who teaches physical education at Barbour County Junior High. The $5,000 grant will turn an empty, unused room at the school into two lockers rooms, including a fresh coat of paint, lockers and new flooring.

"There is little to no funding available for remodeling projects, due to other critical needs throughout the Barbour County school system that take precedence," Dr. Bush said. "Mrs. Countryman worked with Coach Burks, as well as the school staff and the Lowe's store in Troy, to prepare the grant for remodeled locker rooms in the gymnasium area."

Lowe's Toolbox for Education grants are awarded by the Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation seek to help schools address needs that enable them to function more efficiently and effectively. The grants range from $2,000 to $5,000.

TROY students, including members of the University's Kinesiology and Health Promotion Club, held a work day at the school on March 20, painting the walls of the room and constructing and staining lockers. Faculty members accompanying the students were: Gayle Bush, Candy Shaughnessy, Cathy Flynn and Brandon Sluder.

Troy University kinesiology and health promotion students assemble lockers during a recent workday at Barbour County Junior High. The project grew out of a Lowe's Toolbox for Education Grant received by TROY professor Dr. Gayle Bush and TROY graduate student Deborah Countryman to assist the school in creating two locker rooms for its physical education program. (TROY PHOTO/Cass Davis)